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Monday February 18 2013

THE PENN STATE DANCE MARATHON WRAPPED UP SUNDAY, RAISING A RECORD 12-MILLION-374-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE 4 DIAMONDS FUND TO BENEFIT CHILDREN FIGHTING CANCER AT PENN STATE’S HERSHEY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS STAYED AWAKE FOR 46 HOURS, DANCING AT THE BRYCE JORDAN CENTER. ‘THON IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST STUDENT-RUN PHILANTHROPY AND, SINCE 1977, IT HAS RAISED OVER 100-MILLION DOLLARS.

ALTOONA MAN KILLED

A DEADLY CRASH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING OUTSIDE OF ALTOONA. POLICE SAY 60 YEAR OLD DAVID EAKEN SENIOR OF ALTOONA WAS SOUTHBOUND ON EAST 6TH AVENUE ROAD ABOUT 1:30AM, WHEN HIS PICKUP CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AND SLAMMED INTO ANOTHER TRUCK DRIVEN BY A WOMAN WHO WAS NOT HURT. EAKEN’S VEHICLE THEN STRUCK THE SIDE OF A TRACTORTRAILER CAB WHICH WAS PARKED ALONG THE ROAD.

OFFICER CLEARED AFTER FATAL CHASE

ALTOONA POLICE WERE CHASING 21 YEAR OLD JORDAN GRAHAM WHEN HIS CAR CRASHED INTO A GARBAGE TRUCK EARLY IN THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 8TH. IT HAPPENED AT 6TH AVENUE AND 17TH STREET AND GRAHAM WAS SPEEDING THE WRONG WAY DOWN 6TH AVENUE. ACCORDING TO THE ALTOONA MIRROR, AN INTERNAL REVIEW HAS CONCLUDED THAT THE PURSUIT WAS HANDLED CORRECTLY. POLICE SAY THE INVESTIGATION INDICATES THAT GRAHAM HAD BEEN DRINKING AND TOOK THE CAR WITHOUT PERMISSION FOLLOWING A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION WITH A FRIEND.

2 DIE IN FIRE

THE STATE POLICE FIRE MARSHAL IN INDIANA COUNTY HAS NOT YET DETERMINED WHAT SPARKED THE MOBILE HOME FIRE THAT KILLED 2 PEOPLE JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT FRIDAY IN YOUNG TOWNSHIP. THE CORONER SAYS 9 YEAR OLD MICHAEL COLLIER AND 50 YEAR OLD VICKIE MILLIRON DIED IN THE BLAZE. HE LIVED IN THE TRAILER AND SHE WAS VISITING FROM WESTMORELAND COUNTY. 2 OTHER PEOPLE WERE FLOWN TO A PITTSBURGH BURN CENTER.

CASHIER & CUSTOMER NAB ARMED ROBBER

ALTOONA POLICE SAY 19 YEAR OLD JOSHUA GUIDO OF ALTOONA IS IN THE BLAIR COUNTY PRISON FOLLOWING AN ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY AT LORINCO’S MARKET ON MAPLE AVENUE. AROUND 11 SUNDAY MORNING, GUIDO WALKED INTO THE STORE…POINTED A SEMI-AUTOMATIC HANDGUN AT THE CLERK…AND DEMANDED MONEY. HE TRIED TO GRAB THE CASH FROM THE REGISTER, BUT KNOCKED IT ON THE GROUND. THE CASHIER AND A CUSTOMER WRESTLED HIM TO THE FLOOR, TOOK THE GUN, AND HELD HIM UNTIL POLICE ARRIVED. THE CUSTOMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND POLICE SAY THEY NEVER RECOMMEND A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CONFRONT AN ARMED SUSPECT.

JOHNSTOWN SUSPECT “ARMED & DANGEROUS”

JOHNSTOWN POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR SHANE JOHNSON WHO ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO KIDNAP A WOMAN FROM THE OAKHURST HOMES EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. SHE SAYS JOHNSON KNOCKED ON HER DOOR…PULLED A GUN…AND DEMANDED DRUGS AND MONEY. SHE ASKED HIM TO DRIVE HER TO A RELATIVE’S HOME SO SHE COULD GET MORE CASH. SHE THEN GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND RAN FOR HELP. JOHNSON IS A BLACK MALE…5-FOOT-8…150 POUNDS…WITH LONG BLACK HAIR AND BROWN EYES. HE IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS.

BRAWL AT ST. FRANCIS APARTMENTS

STATE POLICE IN CAMBRIA COUNTY ARE INVESTIGATING A BRAWL EARLY SUNDAY MORNING INVOLVING ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE. IT HAPPENED AT SET OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS OWNED BY SAINT FRANCIS UNIVERSITY IN LORETTO. POLICE SAY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE FOOTBALL AND SOCCER TEAM TOOK PART. 2 STUDENTS WERE TREATED AT ALTOONA REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM. THE OTHERS WERE SENT HOME PENDING AN INVESTIGATION.

STATE COLLEGE PREPARING FOR STATE PATTY’S DAY

THE CENTRE DAILY TIMES REPORTS THAT THE GROUP “CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY UNITED AGAINST DANGEROUS DRINKING” MAY GO AS FAR AS PAYING DOWNTOWN BARS TO NOT SERVE ALCOHOL ON STATE PATTY’S DAY THIS SATURDAY. PENN STATE’S VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS DAMON SIMS, WHO CO-CHAIRS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE COLLEGE BORO MANAGER TOM FOUNTAINE, SAID DETAILS ARE STILL BEING DISCUSSED. NO COMMENT YET FROM ANY OF THE BARS. STATE PATTY’S DAY IS A STUDENT-FOUNDED ALTERNATIVE TO ST. PATRICK’S DAY, WHICH SOMETIMES FALLS DURING SPRING BREAK.

SPINACH RECALL

A SPINACH RECALL IS AFFECTING DOZENS OF STATES. TAYLOR FARMS RETAIL, BASED IN SALINAS CALIFORNIA SAYS SOME OF ITS PACKAGED ORGANIC BABY SPINACH PRODUCTS COULD BE CONTAMINATED WITH E. COLI. THE SPINACH WAS SOLD IN 39 STATES, INCLUDING PENNSYLVANIA. NO ILLNESSES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

FREE TURNPIKE PLAZA WI-FI

FREE WI-FI IS NOW AVAILABLE AT ALL PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE SERVICE PLAZAS…PART OF A 100 MILLION DOLLAR UPGRADE TO THE 15 PLAZAS. 2 OF THEM ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS, BUT WILL OFFER THE SAME SERVICE ONCE THEY RE-OPEN IN MAY.